I want us to use as a text for this talk Paul’s 2^nd letter to Timothy, the last chapter.

 

            The 2^nd letter to Timothy is, as far as we know, the very last letter which Paul ever wrote, the last words we have of Paul. It is written from a Roman prison cell, and it is obvious that Paul is n great pain and danger. He writes, “I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal.” He writes, “The time is here for me to leave this life.” He then pleads for his very dear friend Timothy to come visit him in prison as he faces the last days of his life: he says, Timothy, “do you best to come to me soon….Do your best to come before winter.”

 

            We like to think that as soon as Timothy received this letter form Paul concerning his impending death that he went to Paul immediately and gave him some comfort in his last hours in this world. – But, as far as we know, Timothy never went. –And Paul died. – Timothy could have been with Paul if he went before winter, as Paul requested, but winter came and it came to Paul, and Paul died.

 

            Come before winter.                                              Come before winter.

 

 

 

            I work at hospice, and at hospice, it is quite common to hear people express regrets and guilt about someone who has died. “Oh, I wish I would have told Dad how much I truly loved him. But no it is too late.”…” And no, mom’s gone” - Regrets and guilt.

I’ve had that experience in my personal life. I am not exempt from those feelings. I don’t think anyone is. I’ve heard a father and a brother and a daughter die. And I felt some of those feelings each time.

 

            Concerning my brother: I was the oldest of five boys; Dean was the youngest. He was going to college. I was working in Arizona. I thought Dean would really enjoy Arizona, and I thought that I would have him come down to Arizona during one of his high school breaks. We could have lots of fun riding mountain bikes in the desert, swimming, and talking about our Two years passed, and I didn’t invite him down. Then, one night, I received a telephone call form my mother who was sobbing uncontrollably: Dean had died in a fire. – I had a chance to do something with Dean. But I didn’t take the time. And time ran out for me and Dean. – Come before winter.

 

            I am reminded of a poem found in a book by Loe Buscaglia.  It is a poem written by a young woman, addressed to a young man. The  poem is entitled “Things You Didn’t do”

Things You Didn’t Do

Remember the day I borrowed your brand new car and I dented it?

I thought you’d kill me, but you didn’t.

And remember the time, I dragged you to the beach, and you said it would rain, and it did?

I thought you’d say, “I told you so.” But you didn’t.

Do you remember the time I flirted with all the guys to make you jealous, and you were?

I thought you’d leave me, but you didn’t….

Yes, there were lots of things you didn’t do.

But you put up with me, and you loved me, and you protected me.

There were lots of things I wanted to make up to you when you returned from Viet Nam.

But you didn’t…………….

 

Come before winter.

            Those are voices from the past, voices like Paul’s that are no longer here. – But what about the voices from the present? There are voices right now, like Paul’s voice, saying, and “Come before winter.”

 

            One of the voices is the voice of children: children in our homes, grandchildren, children in our neighborhoods, children in our churches, children who are wanting the attention of adults, wanting people to just listen to them….Can we listen while there is still time?

 

In one of my former jobs I worked with runaways. Here’s a portion of a letter from a runaway young man, who left his home after getting into some trouble. He speaks in the letter about the wonderful things his parents had done for him, presents he received for his birthday and Christmas, special meals his mother had fixed just for him. But he writes, “Mother, I would have preferred peanut butter and crackers. All I wanted was for you to sit down with me and say, “Tell me about it. Let me see if I can help you understand.” And at the end of the letter he says, “And if any one asks where I have gone, just tell them that I’ve gone looking for someone with time because I’ve got a lot of things I want to talk about.”…We need to talk to our children and grandchildren.      -   Come before winter.

 

            And what about our parents and grandparents? ...Parents and grandparents are crying out: come before winter. They have been saying it for a long time. Let us listen to our parents.

 

            Call up your mom. Don’t wait. Do it tonight. Call up your mom tonight…”Mom, did you know what holiday is this month?”…”Yes! How dumb do you think I am?”…” it’s Thanksgiving, mom. And guess what I’m giving thanks for?”…”Uh. Cranberry sauce?”…”No, mom. You! I’m giving thanks this Thanksgiving for having a wonderful mom. Mom, I love you.”…”It sounds like you’ve been into the sauce a little early.”    -  Come before winter.

 

            Or try this: Drive a hundred miles to your dad’s home. Knock on your dad’s door….”What are you doing here, son?” … “Oh, I decided I’d drive here to give you a hug.” … “Alright, how much money do you want?”… “No, dad. I just wanted to hug you.”…Are you crazy, son?”…”Yes, I’m crazy dad. I’m crazy about you.”…And then just hug him and hug him and hug him.

Come before winter.

            What other voices do we need to listen to: voices saying, “Come before winter.”

What about the voices of women, women who are still not treated as persons? – Voices that are saying, “Come before winter.” – This month, 570,000 people in Iowa, supposedly the state with the highest education per capita, voted to deny personhood of women. And over 300,000 didn’t even care enough to vote on the personhood of women…So what do we do? Do we give up? Do we wait four more years hoping that it will be on the ballot again, and then once aging listen to the lies and scare tactics of those who fear the personhood of women? Or do we do things now?   -   Come before winter.

 

            What about the voices of lesbian and gays? -  Voices that are saying, “Come before winter.” – I, right now, because I happen to be of heterosexual orientation have the pleasure and excitement of planning a marriage service with my partner. – Yet, partners who happen to be of homosexual orientation cannot have that pleasure and excitement…..What does it say about our society when some love is not considered sacred?  Some love has no legal rights? Some love is not socially acceptable?... When we deny the expression and rights of love, no matter what form, we are a repressive and hateful society. – Come before winter.

 

            Yes, we can grieve about yesterday, and we do. All the opportunities that are past…However, there are some things we need to be doing today. We need to be responding to all the voices that are around us today.

 

            How often opportunities never come again….Timothy didn’t have a second chance with Paul….And what about me?...And what about you?.... Our loved ones?.... Our children?.... Our parents?.... Our friends?....Our world?....Will everyone and everything wait?.....Come before winter…..It’s now or never! Experience, conscience, common sense, they all say now or never! Now is the day! Now is the acceptable time! Now is the time to show or love and concern, not later!...We must do our best, in the words of Paul: do your best to come before winter…-Come before winter.